Here's how it works. The assignments are by weeks. The idea is that you should have all the work done by the next Monday. So for Week 1 - January 7th, you should have posted and responded by Sunday, January 13th at 11:55pm and so on. II begin reading on Mondays, and I dislike having to go back and search for late work. SO I do not accept late work. The grade can be found in the grade book on Blackboard which you can get through Course Tools. Let me know if I need to clear up other questions as well :)


Remember that I do not require you to post your definition of the terms for this course, and I often provide links or readings to aid in your grasp of the information, but it is also your responsibility to ask me if you have questions and to do some research on your own to better clarify things for YOU.

Week 1- January 7th:
Orientation: Talk about the wiki. Remember to email me your address or come by and get the small literature booklet. We will begin reading them next week.
Read HowToReadAStory.pdf and Elements of a Short Story and Writing about Literature site
Writing Assignment on Plot and Point of View (once you click on these pages, post your responses to the Discussion tabs on these pages in resposne to the question being asked.) Make sure you are also responding to at least two other people in the class.
Edit What is Literature? page. Do some research and decide what your definition of Literature is. Give your definition and also cite any sources that you used and give links in your post.
ALSO - Begin reading the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury as soon as you can. Do not leave it for the last second. You will want to work on some research of the text and begin thinking about what you want to argue as you go along. What we study in the course will equip you to write this final analysis and interpretation.


Week 2- January 14th:
Read in the Writing About Literature booklet pp. 3-8.
Writing Assignment on Character and Setting (once you click on these pages, post your responses to the Discussion tabs on these pages in response to the question being asked.) Make sure you are also responding to at least two other people in the class in no less than 150 words.
Continue to read the novel!


Week 3- January 21st:
Read in the Writing About Literature booklet pp.9-22.
Writing Assignment on Tone & Style and Theme and Symbol (once you click on these pages, post your responses to the Discussion tabs on these pages in response to the question being asked.) Make sure you are also responding to at least two other people in the class in no less than 150 words.
Continue to read the novel!


Week 4- January 28th: Paper #1
Read in Writing About Literature booklet pp. 22-29. Then 31-36 after you have "A Jury of Her Peers." Then begin writing your paper. Think about what you have been working on the last three weeks.

Additional links and information on the stories and the authors.
Listen - Jury of Her Peers Listen - Sweat Susan Glaspell Zora Neale Hurston

You will turn in a short critical essay of 1,500-2,000 words (3-4 pages), double-spaced, 12 pt, Times New Roman in which you compare & contrast gender roles represented in the short stories, "A Jury of Her Peers," and "Sweat." Make sure to consider when the stories were written, by whom and for what time. You may use research for this essay, but make sure that you cite your sources according to MLA standards. Refer back to the methods in the Writing about Literature booklet. Add attachments of your paper to the Paper#1 page on the wiki. Remember to get help with instructions on how to attach a file to look at the Help page or call me or IM me or come see me or just try it.


Week 5- February 4th:
Paper #1 - due February 10th.


Week 6- February 11th :
Read Writing about Poetry .
Writing Assignment on Voice and Words and Saying & Suggesting (once you click on these pages, post your responses to the Discussion tabs on these pages in response to the question being asked.) Make sure you are also responding to at least two other people in the class in no less than 150 words. Continue to read the novel!


Week 7- February 18th:
Writing Assignment on Imagery and Rhythm and Figures of Speech (once you click on these pages, post your responses to the Discussion tabs on these pages in response to the question being asked.) Make sure you are also responding to at least two other people in the class in no less than 150 words. Continue to read the novel!


Week 8- February 25th:
Read: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock or The Love-Song of J Alfred Prufrock.rtf and Poetry and Emotion
then Listen (you will have to listen to a Lexus commercial first, about 20 seconds).

"Make sure to annotate the text as shown in the Literature booklet. Identify words and phrases that are unfamiliar and do some research to define the terms/words as a way of possibly interpreting the poem. Make sure to take notes as you read the poem for the first time, and then reflect on those notes before your second and third read. Do a little research on T.S. Eliot as well.


Week 9- March 3rd: Paper #2
In the excerpt entitled "Poetry and Emotion," Eliot says: (the statement is) "There is a great deal, in the writing of poetry, which must be conscious and deliberate. . . . Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality."

In an essay of 3-4 typed, double-space, pages with 1" margins all around, 12pt,Times New Roman, discuss this statement, in terms of both its own meaning AND its implication to "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."


Week 10- March 10th:
Paper #2 - due March 16th.


Week 11- March 17th:
Read: "An Ideal Husband." check it out & Oscar Wilde Bio and info Wilde Questions AIH

Characteristics of a Well-made play:
    1. Extensive exposition and careful preparation (fore shadowing) early in the play.
    2. A tightly knit cause-and-effect arrangement of plot incidents.
    3. Each scene builds to a strong climax (or crisis).
    4. A secret known to the audience, but not to the play's characters.
    5. A "show down" or confrontational scene between the play's two major characters near the climax;
    6. A careful resolution of the action so there are no loose ends.

Posts for "An Ideal Husband" due Sunday, March 23rd.


Week 12- March 24th: Spring Break
Read: "Trifles" (See PLAYS page). There are a few copies outside my door as well. FCFS.

Assignment - Play - "Trifles" - click here


Week 13- March 31st
"Trifles" - due April 6th.


Week 14- April 7th: I HOPE THIS HELPS. STUDY GUIDE FOR FAHRENHEIT 451

Writing Assignment Fahrenheit 451 click here
Getting started with some background Ray Bradbury Ray Bradbury Online More links and reading ideas



Week 15- April 14th: Final Paper
Final Project Fahrenheit 451



During this week, please take a few minutes and go to Blackboard and fill out the evaluation form for the class. I love comments, especially suggestions on how to improve the class. It is anonymous so you can be very honest. Thanks


Week 16- April 21st:
Work on final project.



Week 17- April 28th:
Work on final project.
Your final project is due by May 2nd. If you do not create something that can be added to the wiki electronically, then you will need to bring your project by my office on May 3rd.